Samaritan keeps promise to help victims of typhoon

SELFLESS:For three years, Wu Ching-ho visited remote villages in Pingtung County to deliver supplies to villagers affected by Typhoon Morakot, covering a total of 6,000km

By Hung Jui-chin and Stacy Hsu / Staff reporter, with Staff writer

An accident two years ago proved that Wu’s determination to fulfill his promises is too strong to be destroyed.

At that time, Wu was trying to fix a water leak in an automobile repair shop when he accidentally fell from the second floor and sustained severe leg injuries.

Despite the severity of his injuries, Wu, accompanied by acquaintances, insisted on delivering supplies to the stricken villagers after only one month of recuperation and before he had fully recovered from the fall.

Following serious flooding triggered by torrential rains that pummeled wide swaths of the country on June 12 this year — including Deyuan Village (德元) and Penglai Village (蓬萊) in Pingtung’s Sandimen Township (三地門) — Wu increased the frequency of deliveries of relief supplies from once a month to twice a month.

In an effort to express their sincere gratitude to Wu, the villagers originally planned to invite him to attend their harvest festival and receive public recognition for his benevolence on the third anniversary of Typhoon Morakot on Aug. 8, when Wu made his last delivery to the regions.

However, Wu declined, saying the occasion would be better celebrated with endless refills of home-brewed millet wine.

“Seeing all the villagers safe and happy is satisfying enough for me,” Wu said, expressing the hope that his benevolent deeds would encourage more people to do as he had done.